Organic fusible solid fuel binders and stabilizers



ii 13, 1970 J. E. HODGSON 3,533,232

ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS AND STABILTZERS Original Filed Nov.2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAM$ E. HODGSO/V Oct. 13, 1970 J. E.HODGSON ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS AND STABILIZERS OriginalFiled Nov. 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMES E. HODGJON A r ride/.6 Y5

Oct. 13, 1970 J. E. HODGSON ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS ANDSTABILIZERS Original Filed Nov. 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.JAMES HODGSON Oct. 13, 1970 J. E. HODGSON 3,533,232

ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS AND STABILTZERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IOriginal Filed Nov. 2 1959 Nu l IN VEN TOR JAMES E. HooasoN Oct. 13,1970 HQDGSQN 3,533,232

ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS AND STABILIZERS Original Filed Nov.2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENTOR JAMES E. HODGSOM A TI'OENE YS UnitedStates Patent 3,533,232 ORGANIC FUSIBLE SOLID FUEL BINDERS ANDSTABILIZERS James E. Hodgson, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Solid FuelsCorporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original applicationNov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,489, now Patent No. 3,388,554, dated June 18,1968. Divided and this application Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 772,870

Int. Cl. F02k 9/04 US. Cl. 6039.47 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREDisclosed in apparatus for burning solid fuel, which fuel includesmetallic particles uniformly distributed in a waxy material that meltsbelow 125 and, comprising a combustion chamber, a fuel container, aheater or heat exchange devices for heating the solid fuel to anextrudable state, extrusion apparatus for extruding heated fuel from thecontainer to the chamber and a burner arrangement in the combustionchamber for reacting the fuel. Particular fuels are also disclosed.

This application is a division of an application filed on Nov. 2, 1959and Ser. No. 850,489, now US. Pat. No. 3,388,554 issued on June 18,1968.

The present invention relates to a solid or semi-solid fuel and a methodand apparatus for utilizing the same for propulsion. More particularly,the present invention relates to a solid or semi-solid fuel and a methodof burning a solid or semi-solid fuel for rocket, ram-jet, and torpedopropulsion applications in which said fuel preferably is injected orextruded into a combustion chamber, and burned therein with oxygen orfluorine or other well known oxidizers and even steam to provide animproved means of propelling a vehicle.

In the past, propulsion systems have been used in which a metal fuelsuch as aluminum powder was suspended in gasoline, kerosene or otherorganic liquids to form slurries for burning with liquid oxygen orfluorine in a combustion chamber. Such systems have suffered from thedrawback of having the aluminum particles separate out fronf thekerosene even when large amounts of a stabilizer such as napalm typegelling agent were added.

Further, the addition of the napalm type gelling agent is undesirablebecause the resultant gels are not as stable as desired and generallymust be formed at the site shortly before using the same. The napalmtype gels also pro vide the fuel with an energy penalty inasmuch as themetal sodium does not add to the total energy obtained from combustionof the fuel.

While metal fuels such as aluminum and lithium powders suspended inkerosene are readily burned with liquid oxygen or fluorine containingcombustion agents such as chlorine trifluoride, they suffer from furtherdisadvantage that the suspended metal (or metalloid) particles separateand clog the equipment and complicate the plumbing required in a vehiclesuch as a liquid fueled rocket.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solidfuel which is adapted to be extruded and burned with a combustion agentsuch as oxygen or fluorine and which fuel comprises finely divided metalor metalloid fuel particles that are held in a stable suspen sion andburn with a specific impulse in the neighborhood of 250 or more.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a binder for metalor metalloid particles in a solid fuel so that the binder-fuel mixturecan be melted and subse- 3,533,232 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 ice quentlyextruded by or otherwise injected by pump, piston, or other means into acombustion chamber of a vehicle such as a jet engine, a ram-jet engineor a rocket engine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid fuel inwhich metal or metalloid particles are bound Within a matrix of a lowmelting waxy material which is easily fused for extrusion into acombustion chamber.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved methodof burning a solid fuel having finely divided exotic metal or metalloidparticles by melting said fuel and extruding the same into a combustionchamber for reaction with a combustion agent such as oxygen or fluorine.

It is an object to provide a system for burning fuels for propulsion inwhich the apparatus used includes means for extruding a melted solidfuel into a combustion chamber, and means for reacting said fuel with amaterial such as oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtain arelatively large amount of energy therefrom.

It is an object to provide a solid fuel and a method of utilizing thesame in which the fuel is extruded into a chamber, vaporized, andsuperheated to provide energy for propulsion.

Other objects will be apparent from the description that follows, theappended claims and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic drawing illustrating one embodiment of thepresent invention in which a cross section of a rocket engine andpropellant system is shown containing an improved solid fuel;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines indicated at 22 in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the present invention showing a crosssection of a simplified ram-jet engine shows the improved solid fuel ofthe present invention and means adaptable for extruding and burning thesame in a combustion chamber of a ram-jet engine;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a complete ram-jet engine and fuelfusing and feed system as part of a missile which in turn carries theimproved solid fuel of the present invention within its fuselage;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines indicated at 5-5 inFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of a torpedo propulsion system inwhich the improved solid fuel is eifec tively utilized by extruding thefuel into a combustion chamber and burning it with decomposed hydrogenperoxide;

FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a nuclear rocket engine in whichthe improved solid fuel is utilized by extruding the same into a nuclearreactor where it is vaporized and heated to high temperature in thereactor and then expelled at a nozzle to produce thrust;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the lines indicated at 8--8 inFIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 shows a cross sectional view of a nuclear chemical hybrid rocketengine in which the semi-solid fuel is utilized in a fusing and feedingsystem therefor, the fuel being vaporized in the reactor and thenfurther chemically burned with a liquid oxidizer in the combustionchamber in the usual way before being expelled at the nozzle to producethrust.

It has been found that a solid or semi-solid fuel comprising finelydivided metal and/or metalloid particles bound within a matrix of a lowmelting fusible waxy material can be used in a rocket, ram-jet, andtorpedo engines systems for propulsion without the disadvantage ofhaving the metal particles settle out of suspension as is the case forexample when aluminum or lithium particles are suspended in kerosene.The solid fuel of the present inven tion, in which a low melting waxymaterial is employed as a binder, provides a high energy fuel that maybe extruded and burned in a combustion chamberwith oxygen or fluorine toprovide a fuel and oxidizer combination having an excellent specificimpulse and being easier controlled than propellant systems in which thefuel is a slurry of metal particles suspended in kerosene.

It has been found that the melting point of the waxy binder material isof importance. In this respect, generally the melting point may be aslow as about 30 C. to 40 C. and it may be as high as 120 or even 125 C.to still obtain benefits of the present invention. It has been foundthat when the melting point is increased much over 125 C., the resultantfuel material is not readily extrudable and generally not easy enough tohandle to provide any advantage in a propellant burning system where alarge amount of high energy metal or metalloid fuel is used.

While waxes in the above melting range may be used, by far the bestresults have been obtained with low melting fusible waxy material havinga melting point of about 80 C. to 110 C. Of these materials, petroleumjelly has been outstanding. Other preferred waxy binders are paraffinwax, naphthalene, bees wax, and certain low melting polyethylenes,namely, those having a molecular Weight from about 4000 to about 8000,as well as a low melting point of less than 120 C. Some benefits areprovided with low melting polymers of halogen-substituted (preferablyfluorine) and nitro-substituted ethylenes such as polytetrafluorethyleneor polyfluoro-nitro-ethylenes of low molecular weight and melting point.In the case of the fluoro-substituted hydrocarbons, of whichpolytetrafluoroethylene is preferred, or the nitro substitutedhydrocarbon; an additional burning advantage is obtained from thefluorine and/ or nitro-content.

Other suitable waxy materials for use as a binder to suspend solidparticles in a stable homogeneous manner are stearic acid,beta-naphthol, solid coconut oil, triphenyl methane, octadecane and alow molecular Weight (about 3000 to 7000) polyalpha-methyl styrenehaving a melting point of about 80 to 120 C. As to the melting points ofsome of the materials mentioned above, naphthalene has a melting pointof 80 C., beta-naphthol has a melting point of 122 C., stearic acid 70C., triphenylmethane 93 C., and octadecane 28 Centigrade.

In accordance with the present invention there has been found that thewaxy materials should have a structure capable of keeping metals instable suspension and therefore should be a wax with a solid continuousphase and having no liquid entrapped therein in a discontinuous phasesuch as may be the case of a suspending agent of the napalm type.

In accordance with the present invention, it is further important thatthe waxy material have only carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms, and atomshaving atomic weights of about 14 to 19 including oxygen, nitrogen andfluorine.

As previously indicated, the presence of atoms such as i sodium providea burning penalty.,Thus, the preferred waxy materials consistessentially of only carbon and hydrogen atoms although good results arealso obtained when they also contain oxygen atoms and/or nitrogen atoms.

In accordance with the above discussion, by far the best results areobtained by low melting waxy materials in which the melting point is notgreater than 100 C., and in any event, not substantially greater than120 C., and in which the waxy material has only carbon atoms, hydrogenatoms, and atoms having atomic weights between about 14 and about 19.

It has also been found that the percent by weight of binder used basedon the total weight of fuel should be generally about 5 to 65 percent.The preferred range is about to 40 percent by weight and, generally, asin the case of the preferred binders-petroleum jelly and paraffinwax-the .best results are obtained when the binder comprises about topercent by weight of the total fuel.

The metal fuel particles which are bound up with the waxy materialaccording to the present invention may comprise high heat releasing,exotic metal and metalloids particles such as magnesium, titanium,lithium, aluminum, boron, beryllium, and their carbides borides andhydrides such as decaborane, aluminum hydride, lithium hydride,beryllium hydride, lithium borohydride, lithium aluminum hydride,beryllium carbide, lithium carbide, aluminum carbide, boron carbide,silicon carbide, aluminum boride, etc. In the present description and inthe claims the term metal containing fuel particles is intended toembrace both metal and metalloid particles.

In accordance with the present invention, the metal containing fuelparticles may advantageously comprise about 35 to 95 percent by weightof the fuel and preferably comprise to percent by Weight of the fuel,the balance being a low melting binder such as petroleum jelly, paraffinwax or mixtures thereof.

The solid fuel may also contain an ignition sensitizer or a combustionconditioning agent, or both. The ignition sensitizing agents improve theease of ignition of the propellant while the combustion conditioningagents promote more rapid, even combustion by dispersing the fuelparticles into the oxidizer stream to give good mixing and rapid flamespreading and combustion.

Suitable sensitizer and conditioning agents of the fuel type aredecaborane, lithium hydride, phosphorous, lithium, and hydrides ofaluminum, boron, etc. The ignition sensitizer or combustion agentcomponent of this oxygen containing type may be R.D.X.(trinitrotrimethylenetriamine), or pentaerythritol tetranitrate or anysolid nitrate, chlorate, perchlorate (both inorganic and organic) or anysolid nitro or perchloro compounds such as ammonium nitrate, ammoniumperchlorate, hydroxylamine nitrate, hydrazine nitrate, hydrazinedinitrate, hydrazine perchlorate, trinitro toluene, picric acid, lithiumnitrate, lithium chlorate, lithium perchlorate, nitro starches, nitrocellulose, nitro guanidine, urea nitrate, quaternary amine perchlorate,guanidine perchlorate, erythritol tetranitrate, nitro glycerine etc.

Some of the above listed sensitizers and combustion agents may be usedas all or part of the fuels. Those which are suitable as fuels includehydrides of aluminum, boron and preferably lithium. Ammonium nitrate;urea nitrate; nitro starches; nitro guanidine; and nitro cellulose canbe incorporated into useful amounts as combined fuel-oxygen sources.Most of the other combustion promotion and flame spreading agents aretoo explosive and hazardous to use as fuels, but the above named lowenergy oxidizers and fuels may be used as the only contents ofpropellants which are extruded and burned as auxiliary power supplysources, as long as the extrusion rate is greater than the burning rate.

When the third componentthe ignition sensitizing agent or the combustioncondition agentis used, the

' amount of said? gents used is dependent somewhat upon where the propllant composition will be used. The best results in rocket and ram-jetengine performances are obtained when the above oxygen containing agentsare used from about /2% or 1% up to about 10 by weight of the fuel plusbinder. However, for rocket propellants which must carry oxygen in someform, good results may be obtained when as high as 10 to 15% by weightof the fuels are used. When using an explosive material such astrinitrotrimethylenetriamine generally 10 percent is a maximumamounteven in rocket propellants especially when hydrides of boron, aluminumand lithium are used, or even ammonium nitrate, and other oxidizers. Upto 60 percent of some oxidizers by weight of the total fuel and binderweight may be used in some cases when combustion resistant fuels such asboron, boron carbide are incor-= porated.

Excellent solid fuels, which may contain a combus tion conditioningagent or a sensitizer, may be made ac= cording to the followingformulation:

Ingredients: Parts by weight Organic waxy binder 10-60 Metal ormetalloid particles (generally 100 to 425 mesh such as 325 mesh boronpowder) 40-90 Combustion conditioning agent such as penta erythritholtetranitrate or R.D.X. (symtrimethylene trinitriamine) -20 It has beenfound that oxidizer particles that would ordinarily react prematurelywith metal or metalloid fuel particles such as lithium perchlorate andlithium hydride particles, unexpectedly can be safely placed in closeproximity to metal hydride particles when said oxidizer and/or fuelparticles are coated with a thin polymerized resin film such as a filmof epoxy resin. The resin film prevents premature reaction of theoxidizer particles with moisture or metal hydride particles so that even2 or 3 times as much oxidizer as would ordinarily be tolerated can beadded in its coated form. While oxidizer particles alone may be coveredwith a plastic film, when certain fuels are used such as lithium hydridewith lithium perchlorate, both fuel and oxidizer particles should becoated.

. As previously discussed the low melting solid fuel compositions of thepresent invention may be used advantageously in a variety of propulsionsystems. As shown in FIG. 1, the wax-bound solid fuels are adaptable foruse in a rocket engine. FIG. 1 shows a rocket 5 having a forward portion6 and a rear exhaust portion 7. The forward portion 6 includes chamber 8containing a solid fuel 10 having a plurality of metal fuel particles 11uniformly disposed Within a low melting waxy binder 12 which ispreferably petroleum jelly. The fuel 10 is extruded by piston 15 througha die 16 into a combustion chamber 17 where it is burned with perchlorylfluoride to provide a high heat and energy release at a slow enough rateto be effectively utilized in propelling the rocket 5.

In accordance with the present invention, the improved solid fuel iseasily extruded into the combustion chamber to form a relatively thinsleeve 19 which provides a high surface area for combustion of the fuel.Throughout the extrusion step, the metal containing fuel particlesremain uniformly dispersed for more even burning.

The piston 15 is forced against the fuel slug by a burning propellantcharge 22 which can be cordite, a smokeless powder which is a mixture ofnitrocellulose and nitroglycerin or other moonpropellant. The propellant22 causes pressure to be exerted against the piston 15 as well aspistons 23 and 24 which in turn pressurize a liquid combusion agent 25,ClO F (perchloryl fluoride) The ClO F is stored in an annular chamberaround the fuel chamber and conducted to the combustion chamber byconduits 26 and 27 into a cooling jacket 28 which is located around thecombustion chamber. The liquid C10 1 is injected into the combustionchamber through series of slits 3!), which as shown in FIG. 2, areradially disposed around the inner periphery of the combustion chambernear the entrance of the extruded sleeve 19 of the wax-bound fuel.

As seen in FIG. 2, the die is in the form of a generally circular shieldwith a central section 32 and an outer peripheral section 33 which isconcentric about the central section 32. The thin sleeve 19 is forcedbetween the sections 32 and 33 to form a thin burning surface justoutside the die when contacted by the ClO F. The center section 32 isheld in place by a spider '34.

FIG. 3 shows a ram-jet engine 40 having a steel casing 41 with an inletopening 42 for air and an outlet opening 43 for the exhaust ofcombustion products. In this engine, ram-air enters opening 42, passesby a diffuser 46 and flows over a fuel injection means which comprisesan annular metal tube 47 with an outer periphery that is generallycircular in outline and has a series of fuel injecting openings 48spaced three around. The injecting means is housed within a combustionchamber 49.

In accordance with the present invention, as seen in FIG. 3, an improvedfuel composition 50 having a low melting waxy binder is carried instorage tank 51 and conducted to said injection means by a pump 52 and aconduct 53. The pump 52 can be screw pump, gear pump or other means usedto pump highly viscous, yet flowable materials. Particularly outstandingin most applications is a Moyno screw pump in which the smooth surfacesof the screw and the housing around the same are designed to allow thesurfaces to flow smoothly or roll along the housing rather than rubagainst the sides. This type of pump has close dimensional tolerancesand reduces any tendency of the semi-solid viscous material to slip orleak back into the storage tank.

As noted in FIG. 3, the fuel may be heated to a more flowable statebefore pumping by a heating means such as an electric coil 55. In anyevent, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, aflowable, fusible fuel containing uniformly suspended exotic metal ormetalloid particles and if required, a limited percentage of oxygencarrying particles, is delivered into the combustion chamber and burnedtherein with a liquid oxidizing agent which is also injected therein toproduce a great amount of energy at a usuable, relatively low rate.

FIG. 4 shows a ram-jet engine 60 which supports a missile 61 which inturn carries a fuel 62 for the engine 60. The engine comprises anexhaust port 65, an inlet 66, a combustion chamber 67 and a forwardportion 68 which houses a fuel injection means 69 comprising a centraltube 70 with short conduits 71 branching therefrom with fuel dischargeopenings 72 therein to provide an outline similar to a Christmas tree.

As also shown in FIG. 4, a flame holder is located downstream from thefuel injector 69 and near the juncture of the combustion chamber 67 andthe forward portion 68 of the ram-jet engine. The flame holder comprises a series of annular rings which expose the open side of aV-shaped cross section to the front of the flame. Other designs forpreventing the flame from traveling back and forth in the air stream canbe used as is well known in the ram-jet art.

Means comprising a screw pump 83 having' 'a central shaft 84 and blades85 is provided for moving the fusible fuel 62 from the storage chamber88 in said missile 61 with the aid of a piston 89 to the injector means69. The fuel, which is preferable a high energy releasingmetal-containing powder particles 63 such as boron or lithium bound innaphthalene or petroleum jelly, is extruded by the action of the screwdriven piston 89 and forced down through delivery tube 90 to the fuelinjection means 69. There the fuel is injected into the combustionchamber and burned with ram-air coming into the chamber through theentrance port 66.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the piston 89 includes a disk ofgenerally circular cross section which is a snug fit inside the chamber88. The piston disk 95 can move with respect to the Walls of chamber 88but does not rotate therein, it being keyed to the upper wall and heldagainst rotation thereby.

As seen in FIG. 4, a shaft 98 is extended on one end of the centralshaft 84 and runs the entire length of the fuel cell. The shaft 98 isprovided with threads 99 by virtue of which the piston, being internallythreaded, rides forward due to the rotary motion of the shaft 98. Theshaft 98 rotates in end bearing 100 and is driven relatively slowlythrough a gear box 101 by a turbine 102 which rotates at a relativelyhigh rate.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the missile and ram-jet engine islaunched by a solid booster, not shown. Once in flight, the ram-jetengine 60 is started by the simultaneous ignition of a propellantcartridge 103 which starts turbine 102 and the pressurization of aliquid monopropellant 105 such as n-propyl nitrate in a storage 7chamber 106. The monopropellant is forced through conduit 109 into pump104 from which it is pumped through exit line and bearing cooling. coil110 then to the propellant injector for burning.

An annular, generally doughnut-shaped auxiliary combustion chamber 112is provided into which the monopropellant is injected and burned. Themonopropellant is further burned With air which enters the combustionchamber 112 through an air scoop 115. The products of combustion passthrough feed line 116 into the tur bine 102 from where they may beexhausted through conduit 117 into the diffuser just forward of the fuelinjectors.

The annular auxiliary combustion chamber 112 has a rearward side wall120 which is adjacent the front of the fuel slug and which fuses ormelts said slug on its forward end by conduction. The fused fuel slug isthus ready for pumping to the fuel injector means.

FIG. 6 shows the adaptation of a wax-bound metal fuel in a torpedopropulsion system 129. As therein illustrated, a fuel comprisingpetroleum jelly with finely divided metal particles 131 disperseduniformly therein utilized to provide a relatively high specific thrustby extruding the fuel 130 into a combustion chamber and burning the samewith steam and oxygen which are supplied as decomposition products ofhydrogen peroxide and by sea water injection.

The fuel is carried in a fuel storage chamber 144. Liquid hydrogenperoxide 141 is carried in an annular coaxial storage chamber 145 aroundthe fuel chamber 144 and pumped by means of pump 146 through theconduits 119 having a check valve 150 and a bypass throttle valve 151therein into a decomposing chamber 155 containing a silver catalyst fordecomposing the peroxide.

The torpedo generally has three main sections, (1) a fuel carryingsection containing the fuel 130 and liquid hydrogen peroxide 141, (2)the combustion chamber 140, and (3) a power section 161 which has a hotgas engine 164 and a hollow shaft 165 with an interior central opening166 therein running longitudinally the length thereof which serves ashot gas engine exhaust conduit, and the drive shaft for a propeller 167.

In first starting the torpedo, nitrogen, under pressure in a storagechamber 168, is released to apply pressure to the liquid hydrogenperoxide in it storage chamber 145, there previously being no pressuretherein greater than atmospheric. The pumps of the torpedo are drivenfrom the engine shaft 165. When pressurized, the peroxide flows viastarting valve 150 into the decomposer 155 and is decomposed andinjected into the combustion chamber, the engine 164 at this stage beingdriven by the hydrogen peroxide alone.

As the engine section is operated the shaft 165 is rotated which in turndrives various pumps, etc. One of the pumps, liquid pump 146, begins todeliver hydrogen peroxide to the decomposer chamber 155. Also, a pump168 is started which takes in sea water at a filter 169 and forces itinto a space 170 behind a piston 171 which forces the wax-bound fuelinto the combustion chamber 140. The fuel is extruded through a die 175in the form of a relatively thin sleeve 176 which forms a burningsurface which rapidly disperses and mixes when the fuel sleeve combinesspontaneously with the decomposition products of hydrogen peroxide.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the fuel slug has a central cavityrunning longitudinally along its entire length. A rod 180 'or multiplerods of an oxidizer material is disposed in said cavity and is extrudedalong with the fuel through a central opening in the die to provideadditional oxidizer for the sleeve 176 of fusible extruded fuel.

As shown in FIG. 6, the valve 150 which is an electrically operatedvalve, is provided to get the peroxide to the combustion chamber 140before the liquid pump is started. After the liquid pump is started, theby pass valve 151 can be used to control the pressure and rate of thehydrogen peroxide being supplied to the combustion chamber. Also asshown in FIG. 6, a third pump takes water from filter 169 and deliversthis for combustion chamber regenerative cooling and combustion chamberinjection to drop the chamber temperature so that the combustionproducts can be admitted to the engine 164 at about 2000 F.

Alternatively, the cavity may contain a conventional solid propellantcharge in place of rod 180. This is of suitable burning rate and ispressure fed with the fuel into the combustion chamber where it permitsfuels containing lithium, magnesium and the hydrides to be burned insteam and water vapor.

FIG. 7 shows the use of fuel having metal containing particles boundwith a low melting waxy material in a nuclear rocket engine 190. Theengine comprises a plurality of fuel carrying chambers 191 each of whichcontains a fuel slug 192. Also shown is a nuclear reactor 193 comprisinga plurality of axial tubes 194 with a fissionable material therebetweensuch as uranium carbide and graphite, a high temperature chamber 195formed by a continuous wall 196 of a heat resistant material, and anexhaust nozzle 197.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the fuel slugs 192 isa mixture of finely divided lithium hydride particles and petroleumjelly, the lithium hydride particles being uniformly dispersed therein.The binder, again, is an easily pumpable, extrudable waxy material andthe fuel particles can be lithium, or even a heavier metal such ascesium for some application. Also, the fuel particles may be amine orammonium compounds, these fuels being hydrogen rich good conductors ofheat from the nuclear material and at the same time being readilyvaporized and superheated to provide energy for propulsion.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, multiple pumps 201, 202 and 203extrude the fuel composition from the storage chamber 191 into thenuclear reactor 193. After the engine reactor has been started, thepumps are driven by a turbine 205 through its shaft 206. The turbine 205is started by means not shown and driven by hot reactor vaporized fuelgases entering it by line 207 and line 208 exhausting therefrom. Thefuel is pumped through feed lines 210 into the reactor heat exchangertubes 194. The fuel is vaporized, decomposed and superheated in thetubes and the vaporized fuel products pass through the high temperaturechamber 195 and out exhaust nozzle 197 to provide a large thrust forpropulsion.

As shown in both FIGS. 7 and 8, the nuclear engine has a dense compactreflector shell 212 of beryllium around the nuclear reactor to reflectneutrons back into the active core. An outer jacket 213 of berylliumsponge is provided around the reflector shell 212 to further preventneutrons from escaping the reaction area.

A plurality of boron control rods 215 are provided in the reflectorshell 212. When operating the engine, most of the rods are withdrawn tostart the engine, the remain ing few rods being withdrawn just beforethe rocket is launched. As fuel is first fed into the tubes 194 to bevaporized, fuel is also fed into loop 217 where it is vaporized andpassed through line 207 to drive the turbine Also when first startingthe rocket engine, a booster charge 219 is burned to build up pressurein the neighborhood of 5000 p.s.i. in a pressure chamber 220. Aplurality of pistons 221 are provided at the forward end of each of thefuel chambers 191 to help extrude the fuel into the nuclear reactor. Ifthe pressure in chamber 220 is around 5000 p.s.i., the pressure in thechambers 222, behind each of the pistons, is much less, being onlygenerally about 100 p.s.i., but it is enough to help push the wax-:bound fuel into the pumps and into the nuclear reactor.

Thus according to the present invention, a fuel comprising solid fuelparticles such as ammonium and amine compounds including ammoniumnitrate, urea nitrate, and

ethylene diamine and preferably particles of lithium and lithium hydrideof a size preferably less than 325 mesh or better 400 mesh and in therange of an average particle size of about to 40 microns, isadvantageously used in a nuclear rocket engine, where it is vaporizedand superheated to provide great energy for propulsion.

Since, generally it is difiicult to maintain the nuclear reactor at atemperature desired say of 2000 C. or higher, the combination ofvaporizing a fuel and also after burning some of the vaporized productsis advantageous used when the reactor can be maintained only at lowertemperature, say of 1000 to 1200 C. A nuclear chemical hybrid rocketengine 230 is shown in FIG. 9. The engine 230 has nearly the samestructure as the nuclear rocket engine 190 of FIG. 7. Thus, the engine230 has a plurality of fuel carrying chambers 231, each containing afuel slug 232 therein, a nuclear reactor 233 comprising a plurality ofco-axial tubes 234, a high temperature chamber 235 and an exhaust nozzle236. In addition the engine 230 also has a plurality of pumps 241, 242and 243 and a turbine 244 for pumping the fuel into the reactor 233.

An, annular chamber packet 250 is provided around the fuel chamber 231,the jacket containing a liquid oxidizer 251 such as water. The water isdelivered by a set of pumps 256 which are driven by common turbine shaft257 to the high temperature chamber 235 at a point rearwardly of thenuclear reactor 233 through conduit lines 258 and injected after servingas a coolant in cooling loop portion 259 into said chamber 235 atinjection point 260 for reaction therewith the vaporized products fromthe reactor 233 to provide additional power by afterburning. When thefuel slug comprises 80 parts by weight of finely divided lithium hydrideparticles and 20 parts by weight of petroleum jelly, lithium ions areproduced by vaporization of the lithium hydride in the reactor 233. Thewater then combines with the lithium radicals to form lithium oxide andrelease a very large quantity of energy which is exhausted along withthe other dissociation and combustion products out the nozzle 236 toproduct thrust.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 as in the case of the engine shown inFIG. 7, the fuel slug 232 is extruded into the nuclear reactor 233 bymeans of pumps 241, etc. where the fuel and binder material aredissociated to provide a large amount of energy for propulsion. Aplurality of pistons 277 are also provided to force the fuel slug, whichis preferably heated in its portion adjacent the pumps from the heat ofthe reactor 253, toward the pumps.

Thus, the engines of FIGS. 7 and 9 illustrate the use of fuels boundwith low melting waxy materials in which the fuels are extruded into achamber for vaporization to provide a high amount of energy forpropulsion.

The following examples illustrate the use of the solid fuels on themethods and apparatus used to burn the same according to the presentinvention.

EXAMPLE I A solid fuel for pressure injection into a combustion chamberwas prepared by mixing under vacuum 30 parts by weight petroleum jellywith 70 parts by weight of finely divided (200 mesh to 325 mesh) boronpowder along with about 10 parts by weight of R.D.X. (trinitrotrimethylenetriamine). The metal particles were added to the petroleumjelly and suspended therein. Then the R.D.X. explosive particles wereadded and suspended in the petroleum jelly in a uniform manner by mixingthe three ingredients. Thereafter, the mixture was pressure extrudedinto a mold for use as a fuel.

The resultant fuel containing the boron fuel particles, oxidizing agentand the Waxy binder was then burned in an engine such as shown inFIG. 1. The fuel was extruded by a piston into the combustion chamber toexpose a thin layer of the fuel and form a thin sleeve like burningsurface. Liquid oxygen was used to supply oxygen to the combustionchamber to combine with the fuel and provide an excellent propellant.

EXAMPLE II A solid propellant was made according to the method describedin Example I except that the binder used was parafiin wax, the metalfuel was decaborane, and the combustion conditioning agent waspentaerythritol tetranitrate. The resulting fuel was used in a rocketsuch as shown in FIG. 1. The fuel, as in the case of the pro pellantdescribed in Example I, was extruded into the combustion chamber. Thethin extruded sleeve of wax bound fuel particles was burned perchlorylfluoride to provide an excellent specific thrust.

EXAMPLE III A solid fuel was prepared by mixing finely divided particlesof lithium hydride and lithium in petroleum jelly using 40 parts byweight of lithium hydride, 20 parts by weight lithium and 40 parts byweight petroleum jelly. The resulting fuel was burned in air in an afterburner of a ram-jet engine such as shown in FIG. 3. The fuel waspreheated to change it to a less viscous form and pumped into thecombustion chamber where it was injec ted and burned to provide anexcellent fuel.

Other waxy binders herein described may be substituted in whole or partfor the petroleum jelly or paraflin wax used as the binders in the abovedescribed examples. In a similar manner, other finely divided metal andmetalloid particles as previously described can be substituted in wholeor part for the boron powder and the decaborane used in the aboveexamples. The R.D.X. combustion agent used to combine with the fuel inExample I may be substituted in whole or part by other previouslydescribed combustion agents and ignition sensitizers. Like wise, otheroxygen and fluorine containing materials, as is well known in the art,can be used to burn the described fuels.

In addition, other means of extruding, injecting, or otherwise forcingthe wax-bound fuel into the combustion chamber can be used as previouslydiscussed.

It is to be understood and further mpdifi cation of the method,apparatus and composition of the present invention may be made withoutdeparting in spirit and scope from the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, means for extruding said fiowable fuel into thecombustion chamber, means for reacting said fuel with a material such asoxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtain heat therefrom,said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finely divided fuelparticles containing a metal element bound within a matrix of a lowmelting fusible organic waxy material.

2. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion in which a fuel isinjected to be burned in a combustion chamber, means for melting a solidfuel to thereby obtain a fiowable fuel, means for extruding saidfiowable fuel into a combustion chamber, means for reacting said fuelwith ma terial such as oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel toobtain heat therefrom, said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality offinely divided metal-containing particles bound within a matrix of a lowmelting fusible organic waxy material consisting essentially of hydrogenatoms, carbon atoms and atoms having an atomic weight between 14 andabout 19.

3. In a system for burning fuel for propulsion in which the fuelgenerally used is of the liquid type and in which the liquid is injectedinto a combustion chamber, means for extruding a melted fuel into thecombustion chamber, means for reacting said fuel with a material such asoxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtain heat therefrom,said melted fuel comprising a plurality of finely divided metallicparticles bound within a matrix of a low melting fusible organic waxymaterial having a melting point not substantially greater than 120 C.

4. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion in which the fuel isinjected into a combustion chamber, means for extruding a fused fuelinto the combustion chamber, means for reacting said fuel with amaterial such as oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtainheat therefrom, said fused fuel being a plurality of finely dividedmetallic particles bound within a matrix of a low melting fusibleorganic waxy material having a melting point of about 80 C. to about 100C.

5. In a system for using fuels for propulsion in which a fuel isextruded into a chamber, vaporized and super heated to provide energy,means for extruding a fused solid fuel into said chamber, means forvaporizing and superheating said fused fuel to obtain energy therefrom,said fuel being a plurality of finely divided fuel particles within amatrix of a low melting fusible organic waxy material.

6. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion in which the fuel isinjected to be burned into a combustion chamber means for extruding afused fuel into the combustion chamber, means for reacting said fuelwith a material such as oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel toobtain heat therefrom, said fused fuel being a plurality of finelydivided metallic particles bound within a matrix of petroleum jelly.

7. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned Within acombustion chamber means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finelydivided fuel particles containing a metal element bound within a matrixof a low melting fusible organic waxy material, means for extruding saidfiowable fuel into the combustion chamber including a piston,introducing a material such as oxygen for reaction with said fuel toobtain heat therefrom, and burning said fuel.

8. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned Within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finelydivided fuel. particles containing a metal element boundwithin a matrixof a low melting fusible organic waxy material, means for extruding saidfiowable fuel into the combustion chamber including a piston drivenhydraulically, introducing a material such as oxygen for reaction withsaid fuel to obtain heat therefrom, and burning said fuel.

9. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finelydivided fuel particles containing a metal element bound within a matrixof a low melting fusible organic waxy material, means for extruding saidfiowable fuel into the combus- 12 3 tion chamber including a collapsiblebag which squeezes said fuel into the combustion chamber, introducing amaterial such as oxygen for reaction with said fuel to obtain heattherefrom, and burning said fuel.

10. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finelydivided fuel particles containing a metal element bound within a matrixof a low melting fusible organic waxy material, means for extruding saidfiowable fuel into the combustion chamber including a piston driven by afluid under pressure, introducing a material such as oxygen for reactionwith said fuel to obtain heat therefrom, and burning said fuel.

11. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion generally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned Within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, means for extruding said fiowable fuel into thecombustion chamber, including a screw pump for pushing said fuel intothe combustion chamber, meansfor reacting said fuel with a material suchas oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtain heat therefrom,said flowable fuel comprising a plurality of finely divided metallicparticles bound within a matrix of a low melting fusible organic waxymaterial.

12. In a system for burning fuels for propulsion gen erally used for theliquid type in which the liquid is injected to be burned within acombustion chamber, means for melting a solid fuel to thereby obtain afiowable fuel, means for extruding said fiowable fuel into thecombustion chamber, including a gas-driven piston for pushing said fuelinto the combustion chamber, means for reacting said fuel with amaterial such as oxygen to combine chemically with said fuel to obtainheat therefrom,,said fiowable fuel comprising a plurality of finelydivided metallic particles bound within a matrix of a low meltingfusible organic waxy material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,322 8/ 1924 ONeill.

1,506,323 8/1924 ONeill.

1,532,930 4/1925 ONeill.

2,497,939 2/ 1950 Garraway et al,

2,969,638 1/ 1961 Sammons 60219 3,032,979 5/1962 Corbett 60252 3,086,3544/1963 Hall 60251 XR 3,107,485 10/1963 Toulmin 6025l 3,067,574 12/1962Corbett 60-252 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 582,621 11/ 1946 Great Britain.

CARLTON R. CROYLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R,.

